• Officials say no casualties reported in fire that erupted at KICT
• KPT acknowledges timely support from all agencies in ensuring safety of port infrastructure and operations

KARACHI: Imported goods, mostly lithium batteries, stored in at least 20 containers were destroyed as a huge fire erupted at the Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) on Friday afternoon, officials and rescue services said.

However, no one was reported injured as workers had gone to perform Friday prayers.

South DIG Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that the fire erupted in a container at KICT, West Wharf, within the limits of Docks police. The police immediately responded while rescue and fire teams also arrived and initiated firefighting efforts.

Talking to Dawn, Rescue-1122 spokesperson Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan said that their central command and control room received information about the eruption of fire at West Wharf, Gate-20, at around 1:45pm.

He added that initially, they were informed that one container had caught fire. By the time they reached the spot, another container had also caught fire, prompting them to call backup rescue teams. Since it was Friday prayer time, most of the workers had already left the place; otherwise, he apprehended that casualties might have occurred.

Mr Khan said the containers were carrying electrical, dry chemical and lithium batteries and he suspected that this might have triggered the fire “spontaneously”, which then spread and engulfed other containers. All 20 containers were completely destroyed.

The Rescue spokesperson said they faced difficulties in controlling the fire as it did not require water to extinguish it. Instead, it required a specialised powder.

He said a total of 20 fire tenders from Rescue dept, KMC’s Fire Brigade, KPT and the Pakistan Navy managed to control the fire at 4:50pm.

The KPT claimed in a statement that an “immediate and well-coordinated emergency response” was carried out, led by the KPT Fire Brigade Service. “Through swift action, effective coordination and professional handling by all responding teams, the fire was successfully brought under control, preventing its spread and ensuring the safety of port infrastructure and operations.”

The KPT acknowledged and appreciated the timely support, professionalism and teamwork of all participating agencies in safeguarding the port.

Probable cause

Regarding the possible cause of the fire, DIG Raza said that during the initial probe it transpired that the fire erupted due to a short circuit inside a container.

Further information about the incident and financial losses is being obtained, said the South police chief.

However, the Rescue spokesperson said this was a new emerging challenge for firefighters in the metropolis, as batteries being used in electric vehicles can spontaneously trigger fires due to certain temperatures.

He recalled that last year, a luxury electric vehicle parked at a showroom in Defence Housing Authority had triggered a fire because of its battery, resulting in the death of two women and injuries to several others.

He said their teams were collaborating with rescue teams in Punjab and Islamabad as well to cope with this new challenge.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2026